I do a good deal of walking. I am riding/training cutting horses from 10 in the morning to about 6 or so in the evening. Just the walking around in the round pen, catching horses, the general walking around the barns is about a mile and a half each day. I spend on average six hours a day in a saddle and that alone keeps my legs in great shape. Anyone who has seen/ridden a cutting horse knows that it is a full body work it. I use me legs, abs, back and upper body all day long.
About three years ago I went on a diet and lost about 25-30lbs. I have been kicked in both knees by horses several times, so my knees aren't that good and a severe mountain climbing accident ruptured three discs in my back and messed up my pelvic bone badly at age twelve, so my back isn't that good either, I have shoulder problems from the physical work I do while riding. The only activities I could do that aren't painful are swimming and biking. I was on a very competive swim team from 6-11 years old and was in great shape but then I stopped and thats when I got myself in trouble, I was so used to being able to eat so many calories because of swimming that when I stopped I continued to take in that amount of calories but wasn't burning them. I tried running but it killed the knees, biking was very low impact so I bike almost 15 miles a day for 45 minutes and burn 500 calories. They say that it takes 20 minutes of cardio workout to begin burning calories and 45 minutes to start burning fat. I watch everything that I eat. No enriched foods, I haven't had pasta or white rice in a long time, I used to eat it a lot before swim meets because it gave me energy but they are fattening. I eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up and don't eat anything after 7:00 in the evening, I try and have big lunches and light dinners and always work out in the evening so I don't sleep on the calories. Fruits and veggies are the main things I eat and chicken is my favorite meat because it's lean. The excercising is time consuming but I feel so much better and my riding has improved so much because of better body tone.
About three years ago I went on a diet and lost about 25-30lbs. I have been kicked in both knees by horses several times, so my knees aren't that good and a severe mountain climbing accident ruptured three discs in my back and messed up my pelvic bone badly at age twelve, so my back isn't that good either, I have shoulder problems from the physical work I do while riding. The only activities I could do that aren't painful are swimming and biking. I was on a very competive swim team from 6-11 years old and was in great shape but then I stopped and thats when I got myself in trouble, I was so used to being able to eat so many calories because of swimming that when I stopped I continued to take in that amount of calories but wasn't burning them. I tried running but it killed the knees, biking was very low impact so I bike almost 15 miles a day for 45 minutes and burn 500 calories. They say that it takes 20 minutes of cardio workout to begin burning calories and 45 minutes to start burning fat. I watch everything that I eat. No enriched foods, I haven't had pasta or white rice in a long time, I used to eat it a lot before swim meets because it gave me energy but they are fattening. I eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up and don't eat anything after 7:00 in the evening, I try and have big lunches and light dinners and always work out in the evening so I don't sleep on the calories. Fruits and veggies are the main things I eat and chicken is my favorite meat because it's lean. The excercising is time consuming but I feel so much better and my riding has improved so much because of better body tone.
